Sep 29, 2023 2 min read

McKEES ROCKS – McGuffey coach Ed Dalton is known to use his timeouts early and often in a game in things aren’t going right.

The veteran coach took two in the first three minutes of Friday’s Class 2A Century Conference game at Sto-Rox after the Vikings had picked up two first downs on their first drive.

Dalton’s strategy must have worked as the Highlanders forced Sto-Rox to punt, scored on their first possession and went on to a 17-0 victory.

McGuffey improved to 3-0 in conference play and 4-2 overall. The Highlanders host Charleroi (0-2, 0-5) next week. The Vikings fall to 1-2 in conference action and 1-4 overall. Sto-Rox travels to undefeated Washington (2-0, 6-0) in Week 6.

McGuffey drove 86 yards for a touchdown on its first drive to take a 7-0 lead with 55 seconds remaining in the first quarter after Charles Wagers scored on a two-yard run and Dylan Stewart converted on the first of two PATs. Wagers’ touchdown came on a 4th-and-one.

The Highlands extended their advantage to 10-0 in the second quarter on Stewart’s 35-yard field goal with 2:42 left. McGuffey drove to the Vikings’ 9-yard-line but a loss of nine forced the field goal attempt.

Sto-Rox started to pick up its offense in the fourth quarter, but McGuffey’s defense forced a turnover on downs after the Vikings drove to the Highlanders’ 10.

Sto-Rox had the ball at its own 46 late in the fourth, but McGuffey’s Connor Crowe forced a fumble that was recovered by Memphis Haydrich.

Crowe picked up a first down on a 17-yard quarterback-option run to the Vikings’ 32 and Dylan Droboj scored on the next play to extend the Highlanders’ advantage to 17-0 with 1:23 left.

Droboj rushed for a game-high 132 yards on 14 carries. Crowe had 65 yards on 8 carries.